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Wednesday, 14 December 2016

its the last day of the Mollie makes advent calendar today so I though I'd do an update so we have pictures of all of them here.

So last time we got up to day 3. Day 4 was my sausage dog

While this was day 4 on the calendar it was actually the last one I made. I must admit doing that much micro crochet in one go hurts your eyes. By the time I got to this guy I was just hoping and wishing to be finished. He still had a lot of love go into creating him, I just wish I'd put a bobble on his hat.

I think its was this day or the day before that I had an
idea. Mollie Makes had asked me to make 12 designs but there are 24 days
in advent. Why not make 12 more. This is quite possibly the most crazy
idea I have ever had. I had week to make another 12 and these guys are
fiddly. More on that later.

Day 5

Polar bear. I've made a few of these now in different shapes and sizes so this one was pretty easy to figure out. When I've done micro stuff before I've used beads as eyes, I've never been entirely happy with the result. I knew I'd have to sew the eyes on this collection. french knots did not work, far too bumpy. I ended up just over sewing a stitch a few times. It is fiddly though.

Day 6

The smallest of the collection. This is teeny tiny and adorable. I think I'll make another and turn these into earrings when they come home.

Day 7

Swan. I think this is a bit hard to see in this picture. Its a very simple design that was originally going to be more elaborate but I liked this so much I decided it didn't need more. Also make this in pink and make some legs and you've got a flamingo.

Day 8

It all went a bit crazy on unicorn day. So many comments and likes. I think this guy has a pretty large fan base for his tiny form. This is my favorite of the first set.

Day 9 was a little snowman. Making top hats are one of my favorite things to crochet so I'm always happy to whip up a snowman. Hes one of the larger ones in the set and used nearly a full reel of the top-stitch thread. We had run out of the white thread at duttons so I was a bit worried I'd have enough to finish the rest of the makes. There is a lot of white in this set.

Day 10

Penguin, not much to say about this one. I was rushing to get them all done by my deadline and I didn't even think, I just made. He came out alright, he's very plump but there is nothing wrong with that for a penguin.

Day 11

Christmas pudding. I've done a Christmas pudding before but I wanted to simplify it for this collection. The dribble of icing doesn't really show up in this photo but it goes all the way around. You can't have Christmas pudding without all the trimmings can you.

Day 12

Sugarplum mouse. This one is ridiculously cute. Its tiny and perfectly formed. It did take a long time to make as it was one of the first and I still wasn't in the groove for micro crochet. I'm more than happy with the results.

So that was it the Molliemakes advent calendar over. The plan had been to encourage people to purchase the patterns they had missed and so support independent designers. I had a right rush reformatting and posting all the patterns in my etsy pattern shop so they were available on the 13th. Long days sitting in fount of a computer is not my idea of fun but hey ho, they are all done and you can go have a look here.

I had a short deadline and getting this first 12 made was really hard work but it was enjoyable at the same time. When I was finished I needed a real rest from micro crochet and so I stuck a sticker on my workbox saying Do not open till 2017.

Only a few days later I was making a gift and decided it needed some tiny crochet flowers. I opened the workbox. The I had been making some snowflakes for The York Makery window display and I decided to try making a micro crochet snowflake. I finished that and started making a tiny stocking. this crochet lark is very addictive.

So I had two new micro crochet designs and the Advent calendar was on day 4 and going well so I thought, well I only need to make another 10 and I can complete the 24 days of advent.

Well that there was the the most stupid idea I have every had. Its really not easy making 12 micro crochet designs in week and it will send you blind. I was so used to concentrating on the tiny crochet that when I looked up my world had gone pixelated. I'd committed myself to it so I just battled on.
It was worth it in the end the second set are just as lovely as the first. I'm just gonna dash through as this post is getting really long.

Elf

Tangerine :)

Festive owl. This was going to have a harry potter theme but I didn't have a burgundy thread. I need to invest in some more topstitch colours.

Present

Reindeer. I know, cute right x

Robin

Santa

Snowflake

Sprout - can not tell you how much it made me giggle when I made this. I am such a child.

Stocking

Whale - I know not Christmas, but the first set had a swan and a unicorn and I though a whale would be cute, and I had a half made one but I still had to remake it cause I was using a different hook size. So anyway a whale.

Wreath

All together.

All 24 patterns are now in my etsy pattern shop a single pattern is £2.50 this is the cheapest I can make it because of listing fees. A set of 12 is £12.50 and you can get the full set of 24 for just £20, Thats less than £1 a pattern.

Saturday, 3 December 2016

A few weeks ago I was asked to design 12 new micro crochet characters for Mollie makes to use for a digital advent calendar.

I was given a list of what they wanted and the brief that they should be small enough to fit in a standard matchbox.

Time to get out my micro crochet work box.

For my micro crochet I use gutterman top stitch sewing thread. It thick enough to handle without it getting too fiddly.

It had been that long since I'd done any micro crochet that the first piece took a long time to create. you really need to get your eye in with it. After the first piece I was back to my old speed and managed to get the rest completed in time for the deadline.

Micro crochet is more difficult that using standard yarn but the results are so adorable I think its worth the extra effort.

The patterns all work with DK yarn and a 3.5mm hook and will produce a larger size ornament.

Mollie make released the taster for the calendar on Wednesday.

Each pattern is available from Mollie makes online for 24 hours only. There are 12 designs in total. If you miss any of the patterns they will be available in my pattern shop on the 13th of December (after the advent calendar finished) individually or as a set.

day one
Christmas tree

This is made with my special overworking technique to give it the lovely texture. Finished with seed beads and a red pot.

Day 2 pear

This one was the first one I made and as I said before it too a long time. I think because of this, its more precious to me. I love getting a shape perfect and this it just spot on. You add a gold leaf if you wanted it to be more festive or a bit of blusher dusted on one side would give it a nice rosy look.

Day 3 gingerbread man

I didn't know how this one was going to work out. I struggled to visualize it. That happens sometimes and when my head is working on 12 new patterns all at once, something gotta give. Should I make it flat like a cut out cookie or round in the amigurumi style?? In the end I didn't think, I just made it and it worked. I think the icing makes it. Its pretty easy to do aswell. you just run the white thread around the grooves in-between the rows of stitches. I was going to add more colours and gum drop buttons but in the end the simple look worked better.
I like this little guy.

Its a surprise for me too, this advent calendar, as I've no idea what design is coming up next. There are some good ones though so stay tuned.